Car-coupling



I.' K LIN G.

GAR G-OUPLING.

(No ModejL.)

WI TJV ESSES ttornel/ Y Io Y in which'- UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.'.A

IsAAC KLING, CE LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 361,165, dated April 12,1887.

Application filed February 2G, 1887. Serial-No. 228.996. (No model.)

erence being had to the accompanying draw-` ings, and to the lettersofreference marked thereon, which form-part of this specification,

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal central Section through a draw-barembodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same online x x. Fig. 3 is a front View of the coupler. Fig. 4 is a detail.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplingV devices; and ithas for its objects to provide a cheap, efficient, and durablecou'plingwhich will operate (automatically/.and which is adapted for use inconnection/with either the common link and pin couplings or thoseemploying L-hooks, as are wel]v known,

the coupling being effected automatically in either case and the hook,when so used, being automatically locked.

Further; objects of theiuvention are to provide an automatic holdingdevice for the coupling-pin and to improve the form of couplinghook.

To effect these objects, the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the drawings, and particularly specied in its lower end, can passfreely into the lower opening when used in coupling, but will beprevented .from escaping or being entirely withdrawn from the bar Athrough the upper opening by reason of its lug c, as is evident.

To the inner side 'of pin C, in recess B, is

openings in the'sidesof the draw-bar.

placed a swinging or oscillating block, D, 0I" general rectangularform,and pivoted horizontally on a rod, E, which passes through properThe front end of the block extends forward, so that the pin C will beheld up thereby, as shown, and has its outer face rounded downward andinward,'as shown, from the point of contact with pin C, so that whenstruck by an entering link, a, the block will be swung upward andrelease pin C, which will then fall by its own weight, and its lower endpasses through the link and into the lower pin-opening, securely andautomatically coupling the link and draw-bar. The front end of block IDis also much heavier than its rear end, as it is made solid. It'willtherefore act as a weight to keep the block in normal horizontalposit-ion, the rear end of the block, when in such position, Vimpingingagainst the lroof of chamber B. The block is chambered at its rear endand bottom about rod E, 'as at e, for the reception of a suitablespring, F, which passes around rod E and'bears at its lower end upon thebottom of recess B and at its upper end against the roof of chamber e ofthe block, so

Vthat it supplements the action of the solid front end ofthe block,giving the block suffi- -fcient power to hold a coupling-link inposition, as shown.

Gr designates a chamber formed in the roof of recessB, above the frontend of block D,to permit the oscillating movement of the latter.

`The upper surface of the front end of the block is provided with a lip,d, which is adapted to engage the end of the link a and hold it moresecurely while being coupled to another car.

The pivot of the block permits the link to be .adjusted or turnedvertically to couple with other cars without strainon the parts.

At one side of the head of the bar fA are formed earsH, one verticallyabove the other, and provided with suitable perforations for the passageofa bolt, h, which passes through an opening in an arm, fi, of myimproved coupling-hook I. This hook is inl general form similar to theordinary ones in present use, and is provided with the hinge-arm t andfront vertical portion or head, i," which is adapted IOC to engage withthe head of a similar lhook to couple them, as usual.

From .the hook I, in the same plane as arm if, and formed integral withsaid arm and head i', as shown in Fig. 2, extends the horizontal shankor arm I. The shank enters the recess B, and when the hook I is coupledthe main body of shank I lies in an offset-recess, B, formed in the headof bar A, at the side of recess B, next the hinged ears H, said offset Bforming a widening or enlargement of recess B, as shown. rIhc end ofshank I" is provided with an opening, t, which, when the parts are inthe position shown in Fig. 2, lies directly above the lower pin-opening,so that the pin C, when it drops into said opening, will. pass throughshank I and securely lock hook I.

rIhe head ofbar A is provided willi vertical recesses b b, opening intorecess B, as shown in Fig. 3, and forming with said recess a suit` ablechamber in the head of the draw-bar for the reception of the head of ahook similar to that of hook I when the hook-coupling is cmployed. rIherecesses b b do not extend into the pinopenings.

The operation ofthe link-coupling is apparent. That of the hook is asfollows: The pin C is held up by block D, as described, andthe hook Iturned in proper position for engaging a similar hook on thecorresponding draw-bar of an approaching car. When the cars carryingthese devices are run together to effect the coupling, the hook Iengages the opposite hook on the opposite ear and turns inward 011 itspivot 7L, forcing shank I inward, so that it raises block D and permitsthe pin C to fall and securely lock the hook I, as described, and thehead of the opposite hook being held in recesses b b by the head of hookI, it is impossible for the cars to become uncoupled unless somebreakage occurs.

I prefer making the openings in shank I and arm z' of hook Isuiliciently large to permit the hook to have somelateral play, so thatwhen the cars are being pushed strain will be taken oft' the bolt h andpin C and transferred direct to the heads of the draw-bars and hooks,thus relieving the bolt and pin from strain a great deal of the time,and` preventing any likelihood of the shanks of the hook being broken bypressure.

Vhcn the link a is to be used, the hook I can be either entirely removedor swung around to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, where itwill offer no obstruction to the drawbars and their coupling.

It will be observed that I have a large amount of bearing or buffersurface on the head of my draw -bar, said surface extending entirelyaround the face of the head, except at the narrow passage of the shankof hook I, and at this point the bearing-surface is greatly widened, sothat I present practically as much contactsurface for the heads of thedraw-bars as is common on freight-couplings, and that the heads of thehooks enter recesses surrounded on all sides by the body of thedraw-bar, and not open at top or bottom or sides, as is the case withthose now in use, so that I greatly strengthen the draw-bar, and canmake it of east-iron, and of ordinary size, strong enough to answer allpractical purposes, as is impossible with the draw-bars referred to,unless they are made of steel or so large as to be too cumbersome foruse, and, further, that I can reduce the sizeof the heads of the hooks,as they are solid and not made in parts and perforated for connectingwith a link, as is usual, as I couple the links direct to the body ofthe draw-bar.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have combined in oneinexpensive and easilyconstructed draw-bar the best features of both thelink and hook couplings, and can effect either ofthese couplingsautomatically, as may be desired, and that my improved coupling isattachable to any car,as quickly and as cheaply as the most ordinary oflink Freigl'it-coupling devices.

Having described my invention, I claim- I. In a car-coupler, thecombination, with the draw-bar and its link and pin, of ablock, D,pivoted in the link-recess upon a suitable rod in rear of the pin,having its front end weighted and adapted to normally held the pin outof engagement with the link, and adapted when struck by the link to turnupward on its pivot and release the pin and hold the link in couplingposition, and having its rear end ehambered around its rod, and aspring, F, placed within the chamber of block D and increasing the biteof the block on the link, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a car-coupling device, the combination of a draw-bar provided witha coupling-pin and its openings, with a swinging hook constructedsubstantially as described hinged by IOS) one arm to the side of thedraw-bar, and pro- Y vided with a shank adapted to enter the linkrecessof the draw-bar when the hook is engaged in coupling and be locked bythe coupling-pin, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with a suitable drawbar having a link-recess, acoupling-pin and its openings, and a pivoted block secured in thelink-recess, adapted to hold the pin out of engagement with its loweropening when the block is in normal position, of a coupling-hookconstructed substantially as described hinged to the head of thedraw-bar, and having a shank adapted to enter the link-recess, aetuatethe block, and release the pin,and be held by the latter to securelylock the hook when the latter is coupled to another hook, allconstructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with draw-bar A, constructed substantially asdescribed, having a link-recess, B, and pin C, of a block, D, pivoted ona rod, E, within recess B, and having the chamber e at its rear end, andits front end rounded and provided with a lip, d, and a spring, F,placed on rod E within chamber e, and the chamber G in the roof ,of therecess E .above the block D,v substantially as described.

' 5.- The combination of the draw-bar A, having pin C andspring-controlled block D, all substantially as described, with the hookI, having arm t', hinged between ears on the side of the draw-bar head,and shank I', provided with an opening,and adapted to be automaticallyengaged Aby the pin C to lock the hook when coupled, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination witha suitable draw-bar having a link-recess, thefront vertical recesses, b b, and ears H, as described, and itscoupling-pin, of a hook, I, having an arm, i, pivoted between ears H, ahead, i', andahorizontal shank, I', cast integral with the head fi', andthe arm c', all substantially as described.

7. In a car-coupling device, the combination, with the bar A, havingrecesses G Bb b 2o and ears H H, all substantially as described, and thepin C and its openings in recess B, with the block D, its pivot-bar Eand spring F, chamber G above said block, and hook I, having arm z',pivoted between ears H H, head 2 5 i', and shank I, having an opening inits inner end, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 3o 1n yown I afx my sgnatu rein presence of two Witnesses.

ISAAC KLING. Vitnesses:

A. J.SPEOKERT, Tiros'. LAWSON.

